The Changing Sun of Coruscant
by LlamaaMamaa
Summary: Lannera Damaris is a flawed yet courageous girl from the underworld of the Galactic City. When she meets a young man named Anakin Skywalker, she finally sees hope for a real future and a life filled with love and happiness. With the dark side of the force looming so near, will Lannera lose Anakin, the man she loves? Or will she succumb to the dark side and lose herself?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the universe of Star Wars or any of its characters. I only own the original characters featured in this story.**

"Hello? Can you hear me? Lannera, are you even listening to what I'm saying?" A masculine voice called out. The man waited a mere moment hoping that his friend would respond. After several seconds, he released a frustrated sigh - it was so annoying whenever someone didn't pay attention to you.

"Lannera!" They snapped, their voice laced with aggravation. The auburn-haired girl peered up, her emerald green eyes blinking rapidly in confusion. She looked around for a second and took in her surroundings, realizing that they were in the diner right by her workplace. Clearing her throat, Lannera spoke after what had felt like a century.

"I… I apologize. I must have zoned out…" She stammered, her freckled face turning a deep shade of red. "Erek, I'm awfully sorry. I didn't mean to ignore you…"

"It's alright, Lannera. I just wanted to be sure you were okay. You haven't been talking very much as of lately…" He trailed off, the concern for his dear friend growing. Erek had noticed Lannera's outlandish behavior for over a week now and he felt as if her mind was always elsewhere. It hadn't always been like this between the two, seeing as Erek and her were extremely close friends. The duo did everything together and they even lived and worked with one another! Erek had even been the one who helped her move up in levels and escape the horrid underworld of the Galactic City.

Despite being such close friends with Lannera, Erek had no clue that the girl had a valid excuse for her recent behavior. Thoughts, memories, dreams, and nightmares plagued her mind and judgment. She couldn't tell Erek everything about her past and she most definitely couldn't tell him everything going on in her head. In simple terms, her private life was not any of his business. In order to not worry her closest and only friend, the young girl decided to give a little white lie.

"I'm alright… I think I just want to go home and rest my head. I'm not really feeling well..." She mumbled, gathering her belongings so they could leave the diner.

"Well… Okay then, Lany. Here, let me help carry your stuff for you." Erek said softly, reaching over the table and towards his friend to grab her bag. As Erek's scarred hands grew closer to Lannera, she reeled back in annoyance. The young girl snatched her bag away from the boy and held it close to her chest. A frustrated look was plastered across her pale face as she wondered why her friend felt the need to be such a white knight so often.

"I can carry my own belongings, Erek." She snapped harshly, standing up from the diner booth hastily. Lannera threw her heavy, black coat on and slipped the bag over her shoulder before walking forward, not wanting to entertain Erek's pestering behavior any longer.

Erek stood in shock. He simply stared at the auburn-haired girl with a puzzled expression. What had gotten into her? She had never acted this rude to him for as long as they were friends… And before he could process Lannera's behavior any further, the girl was already out of the small diner and hurriedly walking back towards home. The young man shook his head in frustration before running to the front counter and paying for their meal. All Erek could do was catch up to his friend and hope she didn't bite his head off again.

It didn't take long for Erek to catch up with Lannera and when he did, she sighed gently. Why couldn't her friend understand that she just wanted to be alone? It wasn't in her nature to be mean or rude so she did her best to remain quiet; Erek was aggravating at times but he didn't deserve to get scorned for being overly compassionate.

The walk home was dreadful, bothersome, and upsetting. Honestly, it was anything but decent. Lannera was ecstatic that Erek did not bother her with his limitless questions, but she _was_ forced to process her feelings in the uncomfortable silence. While walking in solace, Lannera did realize that she missed the underworld. She missed it only for her mother, however; the precious, gentle, and compassionate mother she had to leave behind to have a chance at a better life.

The older woman had told her daughter to run away and never look back. She wanted her only child to live the greatest life possible and that simply wasn't a possibility in the lowest levels of the Galactic City. So, she saved up all the credits humanly possible and gave her little girl a chance at something that wasn't a totally miserable life. Lannera regretted leaving her mother behind to fend for herself but she knew deep inside that it was the right choice. This fact still didn't rid her of the guilty conscience that she was now forced to live with.

* * *

Over half an hour had passed and the two friends were finally back home, walking inside just as the darkness had taken over the day. The young girl didn't say a word to Erek as she entered through the small door, still upset with him after the diner incident. With a quick toss, she threw her bag on the outside of her door before scampering away into her quiet and secluded bedroom.

Lannera instinctively plopped onto the squeaky bed she had grown to love, sighing softly in anguish. She needed to be alone right now - away from her co-workers, away from Erek, away from any human or alien in general, because if she wasn't alone, then she wouldn't be able to do what helped ease her pain.

Lannera reached over to the side of her bed and after a second or two of struggling pulled out a small tin wedged against the grimy and cracked wall. She sat the tin atop her comforter and flipped it open, revealing inside a vast amount of thin, clear tubes, all filled with red and yellow fluid. Erek didn't know about her addiction and she would definitely keep it that way; what she did in her free time was nobody's business but her own.

Unable to take the pain of her wretched thoughts any longer, Lannera snatched a red tube out of the container and opened it, chugging the liquid without further delay. She tossed the empty vial in the metal box before closing it and returning it to its original spot, hidden between the bed and the wall for nobody to find.

It didn't take long before the drug affected the young girl, a smile coming to her face as she finally felt at peace with life. Lannera felt lively, everything was brighter, and things were just all around serene. She knew death sticks were a bad habit and that they chipped away at one's lifespan, but when life doesn't offer you anything to strive for, what did she have to lose? She had no friends, no family. She had a horrible job working in a shop along with her nosy and overbearing friend. To be frank, Lannera had nothing in life worth living for.

* * *

The high eventually faded away, much to Lannera's dismay. By the time this happened, she had already been lying down for several hours, cuddled beneath blankets and pillows in an attempt to console herself from the unpleasant life in which she lived.

Not wanting to dwell on her negative thoughts any longer, the girl hopped out of bed and decided to find some fresh clothes to wear. Lannera undressed quickly, taking off her usual long, loose-fitting dress and coat. A glance in the mirror made her cringe. She was physically unable to cope with the look of her naked body reflecting back at her. She had various scars - both small and large, thin and wide - littered across her torso and thighs, a sight that she had always hidden by wearing longer and more modest outfits.

The young girl turned away from the mirror, unable to look at herself any longer. Ignoring the disgusting feeling that swelled within her, she retreated to the pile of clothes in the corner of her dark room instead, trying to find an outfit for a night on the town. Lannera eventually settled on a slightly shorter than normal black dress with a minimalist look. Once dressed, she hesitantly took a peek at the mirror and gave a genuine, crooked smile. She always thought she was much prettier with all her scars covered.

Lannera grabbed a thin grey sweater to cover her bare shoulders before turning off the light in her room and exiting. She grabbed her bag off of the floor as silently as possible, beginning the trek of tip-toeing to the door so she could depart her and Erek's shamefully small home. She had to be sure not to step on a creaky floorboard as it was already so late at night. The last thing she wanted to do was to wake Erek and have to explain where she was going at such a late hour. Even if he did see her leaving he didn't need to know her given location at any time of the day or night. She was seventeen years old, about to be eighteen, and she could take care of herself.

Walking outdoors felt as if Lannera had been replenished with life. The inside of her home was always so muggy, but outside - even with Coruscant being a crowded planet - it was so much more refreshing.

Lannera decided to call for a taxi and travel to the entertainment district. She wasn't much of a party animal and she didn't drink an immense amount, she just loved walking around amidst the bright and beautiful lights of the Galactic City. Of course, she _did_ enjoy grabbing a drink or two to wind-down and relieve her constant stress.

The taxi arrived quickly and picked up Lannera, taking her to her destination which was only a short walk away from the Outlander Club. She frequented the establishment several times every fortnight and it was the most common location for her to purchase death sticks. Tonight though, only drinks would be in order. She was good on death sticks for several more weeks.

Lannera paid the taxi driver the required credits and exited his speeder, beginning her walk towards the club. The click of her heels hit the cement ground and she smiled happily for once. She loved the thought of looking and feeling good, especially since it was such an uncommon feeling for her to possess.

The club now in her distant vision, Lannera grinned cheesily. She could already hear the loud music and was eager to get to the bar and drink a shot or two, all while listening to the live band and laughing at the people gambling their money away.

Lannera was just nearing the club when she suddenly heard thundering footsteps from behind. Curious as to what the commotion was, she turned her head to catch a glimpse but was unexpectedly shoved to the ground. The delicate girl yelped in pain as her head took a hard hit to the pavement. Moaning in soreness, Lannera pressed her small hands against her skull, rubbing in an attempt to ignore the discomfort.

Doing her best to overlook the stars in her blurry vision, Lannera looked up from the ground and spotted two individuals running towards the club, one entering and the other now standing outside bewildered. It was a young man dressed in dark robes, frustration displayed across his face.

With great caution and patience, Lannera finally began to stand up. It was a balancing act with a nearby garbage can but the young girl eventually managed. Stars still clouded her vision and a sharp pain radiated through her head, but Lannera gathered her composure and began the nerve-wracking trek to confront the man responsible for hurting her. Once actually near him, however, all confidence fled Lannera. She could be such a baby sometimes, a trait she had always despised about herself.

"H-Hello?" She reluctantly murmured, unsure of how to go about the unwanted encounter. Gaining more confidence, Lannera decided to speak louder.

"Excuse me, man that knocked me over. I-I'm speaking to you." The wide-eyed girl said, walking a tad bit closer towards the individual. Surely enough, Lannera had finally caught the man's attention. His face turned to look at her and he possessed a clueless expression, almost as if he didn't even realize he had just run the girl down.

"I beg your pardon?" He responded gently, his entire body and attention now towards her. Lannera's heart skipped a beat when she focused on his face, not realizing just how handsome the man was. She suddenly grew shy, her face turning a soft shade of red.

"J-Just now…" She stammered, glancing at the ground in embarrassment. "You and someone else were running and you knocked me over rather harshly. I feel as if you should apologize to me… It hurt an awful lot." Lannera continued, her voice timid yet courageous. She wrung her small hands together in nervousness, unsure of how the perpetrator would respond back. The man was clothed in clean, dark robes and he did seem quite kind, but this _was_ the lower levels of the Uscru district. Not everyone who dwelled here possessed good intentions.

"Oh…" He began, a crooked smile forming on his tan face. "Well, I apol-" The man's words were cut short as another individual came shouting before the two.

"Anakin!" The individual exclaimed, gaining the handsome, young man's attention. This person was a slightly older gentleman, clearly a friend of the Anakin fellow. He too was dressed in nice clothing and didn't seem like the average Uscru district inhabitant. Scanning the friend of Anakin further, Lannera noticed that his long, light-brown hair was windswept and his breathing was rather heavy. Lannera sighed to herself, wondering why everyone was in such a damned hurry tonight.

"She went into the club, master." Anakin responded dutifully, his back straightening up. An intense form of politeness swept over the boy and Lannera grew curious of the change in demeanor. When the boy called his friend master, she grew even more eager to figure out who the men were. Were they Jedi? That would certainly explain their robes and the use of the word master.

"Patience. Use the force. Think." The boy's master said in a reassuring tone. Lannera felt accomplished that her assumption was correct - the two really were Jedi. She didn't know of anyone else who would just casually use the force, so it was safe to assume they belonged to the Jedi Order.

However, if what was happening was truly Jedi business, Lannera was better off not being involved. She began to back away from the two, her heels clicking softly against the ground in retreat. She had no desire to get tangled in such serious and dangerous matters so it was for the best that she left.

Walking away, the young girl continued to hear Anakin talk to his master regarding a variety of things. She sighed to herself. Lannera desperately wished she could have heard the rest of the mysterious and handsome man's apology.

As Lannera walked away into the crowd of humans and aliens alike, Anakin peered back, catching a glimpse of the short and sweet girl before she disappeared amongst the throng of people. He frowned sadly at the sight.

Anakin had felt like a lousy Jedi for knocking over such an innocent and helpless girl. He felt even worse for actually hurting her in the incident! Truthfully, he wanted to apologize. Unfortunately for him though, he was interrupted by his master due to their current task.

Accompanying Obi-Wan into the club, all Anakin could do was put faith into the force that he would be able to have the pleasure of meeting the auburn-haired beauty once more.

 **A/N: Hello! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my fanfiction, _The Changing Sun of Coruscant_. I am so eager to share the journey of Lannera Damaris with you all and I especially cannot wait to share the _story_ of Lannera and Anakin. I hope my OC is likable and interesting enough. The first chapter may have been a little slow with revealing her backstory but I have lots planned for her in future chapters.**

 **This is my first published fanfiction so please no flames. _Constructive_ criticism, as well as reviews, are very much welcome! I want to hear feedback so that I can make this story as wonderful as possible for you all. Thank you for reading and I hope you are looking forward to the next chapter.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the universe of Star Wars or any of its characters. I only own the original characters featured in this story.**

Saying Lannera was upset was the understatement of the year. She was _livid_ at a multitude of things: the wasted time and credits traveling to the Outlander Club, the injuries received by random people while there, and now dealing with Erek's high and mighty self.

"I am seventeen years old, Erek!" The young girl screeched, throwing her bag onto the floor with ferocity. Erek threw his hands in the air as if she was acting ridiculous, an aggravated laugh spilling out of his throat.

"Exactly, Lany! You're a seventeen-year-old girl, yet you travel to the Outlander in the middle of the night to drink! You never used to act like this; what happened to you?!" Erek retorted, his face red with anger. He couldn't believe his friend's new behavior; sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night to go party and drink in dangerous parts of the city.

"No, Erek…" Lannera whispered, her voice hoarse from the screaming. "You don't get to do this. You _don't_ get to act as if you own me or that I'm your girlfriend or something. We are only friends and I don't need to update you on where I'm going, no matter the time of the day or night…" Erek simply looked at the dirty floor in response. He did not know what words to say next as the argument took a turn for the worse. He stood in silence for a moment before returning his attention to the girl before him.

"I'll admit, Lannera…" The blond haired boy said gently. "I have had feelings for you for the longest time. A-And whenever I get upset with you going out at night or not telling me what's wrong, it's just because I care about you…"

Lannera frowned. She felt awful for snapping at Erek so harshly but at the same time, she didn't feel bad for putting him in his place. She was her own independent person, and he didn't need to be all-knowing about her issues. He was her friend, and that was _that._

"Erek, I care about you and you know that. However, I just don't want a relationship with you. I have too many things in life that I need to worry about and this just cannot be one of them." She breathed, sadness in her eyes. Giving Erek a gentle smile, Lannera walked over to the tall man and wrapped an arm around him. "I really hope you don't hate me. You _are_ my best friend and I can only pray that it stays that way."

Erek returned the favor and wrapped his own two arms around the delicate girl, giving a slight squeeze and a gentle laugh. He was upset by the situation - and that his feelings for Lannera were one-sided - but he was grateful for the friendship that remained. He wanted his friend to be happy and if that meant her falling in love with someone other than him, he'd still try to support it.

Lannera eventually pulled away from Erek and gave him a small, peck on the cheek. "Thank you for being a great friend. I'll see you in the morning for work, all right?"

"Yeah, I'll see you in the morning. Night, Lany…" Erek gave a small simper before turning around on his feet and heading into his bedroom; he could at least fall asleep knowing that his best friend didn't hate him.

Lannera grinned to herself as she watched Erek retreat into his bedroom for the night. She was beyond blessed to have a friend as good as him, even despite the annoying antics that occurred on the daily.

The young girl waited another second before turning on her heel and heading into her own bedroom. She flipped on the dim light and began the process of getting ready for sleep. She kicked off her heels and removed the light sweater, tossing both into a corner of the room before removing the black dress.

Slipping the straps off her shoulders, the dress crumpled at her feet. Lannera immediately grimaced at the sight of her scars, all visible courtesy of the mirror before her. Her scars were bothering her more than ever tonight; she assumed it was because of her meeting with the most dashing man imaginable outside the Outlander Club. After several more seconds of internal strife, Lannera became positive that the respective thought was the exact reason.

First off, she could never even become romantically involved with Anakin, seeing as he was a Jedi. Second, even if he weren't a Jedi she doubted he would ever be interested in a girl like her.

She was addicted to death sticks.

She was tainted with marks of abuse.

She was filled with self-doubt and loathing.

She was both internally and externally flawed.

Nobody that she wanted would _ever_ want her back.

Lannera's childhood even proved that last statement quite well. She used to have both parents growing up but her mother eventually took her and ran when things got rough. The time spent with her father was horrendous, but she tried not to think about it. And when she _did_ think about such awful things? Well, that's where death sticks came in handy.

The young girl knocked herself out of the repetitive, negative thoughts flowing through her head. If she continued to put herself in an awful state of mind, then the use of death sticks would become imminent. Lannera wasn't oblivious to facts; she knew of her addiction. However, she didn't have the money to afford medical treatment and get help for the issue. She hoped one day she could receive treatment, but that day would be far in the future when she possessed a better job.

Lannera resumed her nightly practices. Turning away from the mirror, she slipped on a cream-colored nightgown that was as old as the republic itself; it was torn and scuffed but she didn't mind. It was one of the only things she could wear and fall asleep in.

Once dressed, she plopped onto the creaky bed and snuggled beneath her thick, warm comforter. Lannera began to think of happy thoughts in hopes of a decent dream for once. Her mind began to think about Anakin, the Jedi from earlier. She would never forget how handsome he was, and she could never wish more that he could have finished his apology to her.

The mere thought of seeing the young man once again made her heart race, but the saddening truth was that she doubted it would ever occur. Coruscant was filled with an unimaginable amount of humans, aliens, and other humanoid races, and Anakin was only one amongst a trillion. The prospect of her meeting the boy once again thrilled her, but she still thought it was unlikely.

Not wanting the depressive thoughts to take over her mind, Lannera began to think of other things rather than Anakin or her mother or even Erek. Before the young girl knew it, a calm darkness took over her vision, putting her into a deep slumber till the next morning.

* * *

"Morning, Lany." Erek murmured, his voice gentle yet withdrawn. Lannera stumbled out of her bedroom lazily and headed towards the dining room table. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before turning towards her friend, acknowledging him as well.

"Good morning…" Lannera greeted, sitting down in her chair. Fresh breakfast was already prepared, courtesy of Erek. Lany dug in immediately, savoring the delicious food. She murmured a small 'thank you' to the boy beside her and he nodded back in acknowledgment. Things still felt awkward between the two after the previous night, so much of breakfast passed with silence. Lannera felt an immense weight lift off her shoulders once the two went their separate ways, getting dressed for work. Hopefully their future meals would never be as unpleasant as that...

"You ready?" Erek inquired, looking over at Lannera. She looked up at the boy and nodded her head.

"Yeah… Let's go."

The two grabbed their bags and headed out the door, locking it behind. The trip to work was slightly more bearable than breakfast, and the two talked more openly again, just as they used to.

"You ready to work on droids for the rest of the day?" Lannera teased, pushing Erek's shoulder gently.

"It's a hell of a lot better than doing what you do, miss 'I sit behind a desk all day and write in a book'."

Lannera scoffed in response. "How can you even say that? I have to work with numbers and keep track of purchases, orders, and repairs all day! By the time our shift is over, I feel as if my eyes are about to fall out…"

"Yeah, okay miss 'I sit behind a desk all day and write in a book.'" Erek retorted, a sheepish smile making its way onto his face. Lany grinned back, giggling at how much of jokester her friend was. The two entered the droid shop and greeted Zholl Jervada, their boss, and began the workday.

* * *

The day was uneventful and broke a record for being the slowest shift possible; Lannera had even caught herself falling asleep in front of her books and record logs several times. Thankfully for her, Jervada had released her early for the day. Erek wasn't as lucky. She packed her belongings and other necessities into her leather bag before walking towards her friend.

"I'll just be at the diner," Lannera began. "Okay, Erek?"

A loud pop suddenly erupted in the room. Sparks spewed from an ancient, rusted droid, flying everywhere in an explosion.

"Dammit!" Erek roared, slamming his hands on the metal table. Lannera flinched back, startled.

"W-Well, I'll just be at the diner…" She took this as her queue to leave and tip-toed ever so quietly out of the shop. Dex's Diner was only a short walk away, one of the reasons why it was Erek and her's favorite hangout for after work.

Lannera entered the diner through the red archway, walking over to and immediately sitting in the furthest booth. The waitress droid named Flo zoomed over to her as quickly as possible, curious as to what her order would be.

"Same thing as usual, honey?" She questioned with her robotic voice. Lannera nodded her head.

"Yes, please… Erek will be here soon as well. Please get him the usual as well, Flo." The droid nodded her dainty head before zipping back into the kitchen, barking an order to the cooks. She soon returned with Lannera's drink before going away to tend to other customers.

After over twenty minutes, Erek was still not in the diner. Lannera debated boxing his food up to take it to him as it was getting cold, but she continued to wait in hopes he would show. It wasn't normal for him to not show up to the diner. Suddenly, a figure walked into the establishment. Lannera's eyes lit up with excitement, happily looking over at the person. When they turned to the side, however, it was revealed to be someone else.

Lannera ducked her head in bashfulness, covering her face.

It was… _Anakin_?! What were the chances he would go to the same diner that she frequented?! She could feel her heart fluttering and her face turn a dark shade of red. This couldn't be possible…

She took a peek through her slender fingers and caught a glimpse of Anakin looking straight at her. A quiet squeal slipped out of the girl's mouth and she threw her head back down in mortification. Before Lany knew it, heavy footsteps were nearing her booth.

"Mind if I take a seat?"

His voice was warm and deep with a coolness resonating within him. Lannera felt her heart skip a beat at hearing his words, not even comprehending how happy she was that the handsome man was truly standing before her.

The girl uncovered her eyes and looked up from her table, trying to avoid Anakin's eyes from embarrassment.

"I suppose you can…" She responded after several seconds, her voice wavering as she could feel the butterflies in her stomach. The young man gave a crooked smile before sitting down, adjusting his Jedi robes to get comfortable. Lannera finally looked up from the table and the two stared at one another for a moment, his blues eyes examining her green one's and vice versa. They sat in a bashful silence for a moment before Anakin broke the ice.

"Well… What's your name?"

"Lannera Damaris." Her words were gentle and soft, soothing to Anakin's ears. He smirked sweetly at the girl. He was ecstatic to learn the girl's name. She had been on his mind ever since that fateful night. He felt complete now even if it was just her name he was learning.

"I know your first name is Anakin… Your master gave that away," Lany began, giggling faintly. "But I want to know more. What about your surname? And where are you from?" Anakin could only smile. It felt refreshing to sit with someone who wasn't a Jedi and talk to a person rather than fight them.

"Skywalker. And I was born on Tatooine. I came here as a young child, though, to train as a Jedi." Anakin faintly remembered his times on the sandy planet before returning his thoughts to the beautiful girl before him.

"Do you miss Tatooine at all? I'm from the underworld, so I don't miss it that awfully. Except for my mother, of course." Lany gushed, both spilling out details about herself and curious for details of Anakin.

The young man internally gleamed at the fact that Lannera missed her mother too. At least someone on this forsaken planet could understand his feelings, even in the slightest way…

"I… I don't miss the planet that much. It's a desert planet and I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere… However, I miss my own mother, much like you." Anakin mumbled softly, his head turned down towards the table. Lannera felt awful for him. She was upset at the fact her mother lived in the underworld on the same planet, but at least it wasn't like Anakin's mother on a whole different world…

"I'm really sorry for your situation, Anakin…" She murmured gently, settling a hand atop his own in comfort. Anakin felt a surge of warmth when the girl's small hand touched his own large and callused one. He had never been touched by someone for as long as he could remember; being a Jedi was surely to blame.

"And I, for yours." The two sat in silence for a moment before Anakin snapped out of his unpleasant thoughts.

"Anyway, Lannera," he began, his mouth turning into a sheepish smile. "Who's food is this?" Anakin motioned to the plates before him. Lannera frowned, realizing that Erek still wasn't there.

"Oh, yes. The food. It's for my friend, Erek, actually," Lannera murmured unhappily. "We work together and come here every day after we leave for the evening. I suppose he's just running late… But it has been quite awhile." Anakin sensed the girl's sadness, both through her expressions and the force; Erek must have been a particularly close friend for her to feel such unhappiness.

"Well, I'm not your friend. But I'm here at least." Anakin affirmed, his crooked smile returning to his tanned face. The girl smirked, a blush covering her plump cheeks.

"That you are, Anakin…" She acknowledged, her small hand touching Anakin's own once more. The two continued to talk for what felt like a century, laughing together and learning about one another's lives. Unbeknownst to one another, both Anakin and Lannera hid significant parts of their lives from the conversation, only focusing on current events. Before Lannera knew it, an hour had passed. Lannera had given up hope of Erek ever arriving, she had ordered seconds, and Anakin had even eaten Erek's food.

"L-Lany… I'm finally here!" A voice shouted, breaking the quiet silence of the diner. Erek had come bursting through the red archway of the establishment, stumbling over to the duo's usual booth. He lowered himself, hands on his knees as he was out of breath and fatigued. When Erek went to go sit down in his seat, however, he noticed another man instead.

"O-Oh, Erek…" She began, not sure how her friend would respond to another man sitting with her. "This is Anakin. I met him only recently, but he's a great friend of mine." Lannera continued to gush, now smiling happily at the blond-haired boy. Erek frowned but didn't want to seem rude, so he turned to introduce himself.

"Well, I'm Erek," he began. "I… I'm sure Lany here has told you all about me." He continued with a forced grin, reaching a hand out to the man before him. Anakin smirked, shaking Erek's hand out of politeness; he could already sense the jealousy stirring within the boy. It was obvious that he harbored feelings for Lannera and it was also evident that the feelings were not reciprocated in the slightest.

"She has. Nothing bad, of course." Anakin chuckled. While Lannera was busy swooning at Anakin's smile, the men stared at one another for what felt like a century. Erek eventually looked away and leaned over to Lannera, touching her shoulder.

"Are you ready to go? It's already getting dark outside…" He inquired, internally pleading for his friend to be ready to leave. Lannera sighed softly, a frown on her face.

"I suppose so…" She murmured, beginning to collect her belongings. Erek nodded his head, pleased with his friend's response.

"I'll go pay for your meal while you get ready, Lany. Just meet me outside," he began before focusing his attention on Anakin. "And it was nice to meet you." Erek had left the two and walked over to the front desk to pay for the girl's food.

Lannera simply frowned, not wanting to leave the diner and her new friend.

"It was awfully nice to see you again, Anakin. I'm happy that we were able to properly meet and talk." Lany mumbled softly, her green eyes fluttering up to look at the tall man. Anakin grinned in response.

"It was nice to see and speak to you also, Lannera…"

Before the two finished their goodbyes, Lany had thought of a wonderful idea.

"Why don't you meet me at the Outlander Club sometime?" She inquired. "Will tomorrow work for you? Or do you have Jedi duties to tend to?" She teased, tugging at his robes slightly. Anakin chuckled.

"No, actually… I think that can work. My master sent me here - to the diner - to do something for him, so I should be free tomorrow." Lannera was joyous at his response.

"Really?! Well… I'll see you there then. At midnight?"

"I'll be there." Anakin stated, finally standing up from the booth. Lannera smiled, eagerly awaiting the two's next outing.

"I suppose this is goodbye. Only for now, at least." Lannera murmured, looking away from the handsome man in discontent.

"Yes. I will see you tomorrow, however. Goodbye, Lannera."

"Goodbye, Anakin."

The man turned away and began to walk in the direction of the diner owner. Before he was too far away, Anakin suddenly turned around.

"I apologize, by the way. For knocking you over in the street." Lannera smiled sweetly as the sandy-blond haired boy turned away once again, walking to the other side of the diner. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough...

 **A/N: Hi again! Thank you to ALL who followed and favorited my story, and an even bigger thanks goes to PtLacky for reviewing! I'm very happy that you enjoy my story and I hope you liked this chapter. Thank you again to everyone who is supporting this fic. I really can't do it without yall!**

 **Next chapter will hopefully be posted by the end of this week, beginning of next. I have finals for uni so I'll be focusing on that. Can't wait to share the next chapter though, especially since there'll be lots of Lannera and Anakin time! Until next time! :)**


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